Your opinion...

[tx_dane_mom]

I'd like some of your opinions please...my chickens, ESPECIALLY my full grown chickens NEVER get out of their pen. My oldest dane is a chicken killer, but the only time she's had that chance is when I have been stupid enough to leave birds out or when she has escaped HER pen while the birds were free ranging. ANYHOW...we got new renters next door (we own & are trying to move) and 3 days ago (their move-in-day) they were evidentally threatening my roo and today I wake up to find my roo and ONE hen (out of ~10 birds) mysteriously out of their pen and of course, dead b/c Roxi had killed them. Am I just WAY too paranoid and accusatory to think these people let my 2 birds out or is it *possible* (sure...I know...it's *possible*) that they happened to be the ONLY 2 that got out. I looked & looked and there's no exit place, but I re-cut everyone else's wings just in case....
This is kind of a vent...but it's such a shame b/c he was such a gorgeous BR roo...I even contemplated showing him...and my hen just started laying yesterday

Kristi

 

[eggchel]

Im really sorry Kristi. I hope that it was just a coincidence and that your roo and hen got out by themselves. Otherwise, it means that you have some awful neighbors!


Chel

 

[tx_dane_mom]

Yea...well...they are not very good ppl....and the 'landlord' KEEPS renting to not very good ppl, thus why we are trying to move! (Not that I am against pitt bulls as a whole) but 1 of the 6+ ppl that have living in there came to tell me that his 2 pitt bulls were trying to attack my husband's dog & he just wanted to 'warn' me....I don't take things like that well...so I just calmly said 'If it happens, don't be suprised if my other dogs (great danes, etc) don't jump the fence to defend him & attack your pitts.' And any time my 2 daughters (3.5 & 1.5 yrs) have been in the back yard they have stayed at the garage window barking aggressively at them...
*Sigh* I REALLY need to be in the country...

 

[lfoose]

Are you able to lock and key the area that the chickens are in?

I would say involve the police or at least threaten but I know that the police won't even bother to show up.

 

[Lunachick]

I'm sorry you lost your birds.

It must be hard when it was your own dog. I'd be a little suspicious of the neighbors, take a little preventative care and make sure only you can let those birds out. i.e. - lock and key.

 

[texaschickmama]

I would NEVER let me child out of my sight with those dogs next door. We had 2 pit bulls break through our fence and come after my black lab. Surprisingly, my lab held one by the throat while the other kept biting Hunter on the body. I had just put my little one down for a nap. Long story short, the dogs were deamed dangerous animals and had to take certain precautions if they were to keep them from being put down. This is no joke, you have to take precautions now before something terrible happens. Sorry, about your chickens, but seriously, you have to worry about your children and your own safety. I sure hope you find a place out in the country with NO neighbors and no dogs to worry about.

 

[ChickenladyinMN]

to all - yes there are neighbors that are that mean to let your chickens out while you are away it happened to me and my family. About 2 years ago we had 9 chickens our 3 that we started with, their 4 babies and our 2 new babies(aracaunas). The kids in the nieghborhood kept taunting our kids saying that they hated our chickens and didn't like them. Our chickens were free range at the time and never bothered anyone and they stayed in their own yard - surprising as we lived on a dirt road. Anyways we went to dinner one night and when we got home someone had let the babies out of their pen and a dog had killed the babies and one of our older hens. What a mess I had to clean up the whole street. Anyways after that I made sure when we had to leave the chickens got put in the coop. My husband then built me a nice pen for them to stay in and we had to put a keyed paddlock on it. We have since moved from that place and now have more chickens and my neighbors love chickens too - so no more worries!!

 

[Break an Egg]

I'm so sorry that happened, my first thought would be to confront them and ask if they had anything to do with it.

Not only that, since they did make a threat, I would call the police.

I don't know how I'd take that, I believe hurting animals out of spite is sick.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
And why would you think that?? If they don't show up immediately perhaps it's because they are answering an actual emergency call, where someone's life is in danger at that moment. In Kristi's case, sounds like the damage has already been done and there is a threat of it happening again, but not at that instant.
Kristi, I'm very sorry that happened to you and that you have to live next door to those lowlifes. If the neighbors are using their pitbulls to threaten your family or your livestock, yes of course you should call the police. Or if you have a well organized animal control office, contact them first. I wish you the best of luck with finding a new home.

 

[tx_dane_mom]

Thanks for your input guys. 1st, my kids NEVER go outside w/o me. I do worry a bit for the safety of my dogs, but I have a 6' fence, so I believe (provided I was home of course) I'd hear the commotion of them tryign to get in & hurt my guys. I already keep a clip on all my gates/cages, but not a lock. Honestly, I think since the rooster was the problem, I won't have any more problems until my next cockrel starts crowing, so everything should be ok for the next 2 mnths and I *pray* we are out of here by then.
My husband, of course, believes there's no way they did it b/c they'd have had to get in our yard w/o our dogs knowing...and that part *is* tricky, but there are ways...especially b/c our guys sleep kinda heavy & in the barn at night.
I just HATE not being able to let all my dogs roan freely in their backyard. I feel like I have to keep my barker and my 2 show dogs in the house 24/7 b/c of these ppl, so only my 2 older/calmer danes and my husbands dog (the one he threatened) get to be out much and now poor Copper has to sleep in a kennel in the barn at night, just so he doesn't get out...
Sometimes I think I'd be better off on another planet

But I KNOW there are good neighbors out there!
Kristi